By Your Side
by atideintheaffairs
Summary: Nathan and Haley fell in love at High Flyers summer camp, but what will happen to their relationship when he finds out she is best friends with the one man Nathan despises?
1. Chapter 1

Haley James smiled walking down the hall to where her boyfriend's room was. She was at High Flyers summer camp which was for exceptional basketball players and cheerleaders. She had just gotten done practice and promised him that they could go on a walk around town after. He had grown up one town over, the son of a single mother and cafe owner. She was head over heals for this boy which was something that had never happened before for her. She loved him and he loved her. It also didn't hurt that he treated her like royalty and would do anything for her. It didn't worry her that they would be leaving camp in one week because her best friend happened to live in Tree Hill, where Nathan was from, and she knew how close it was. They were both about to enter their senior years and could work something out to see each other one a week at least.

"Knock knock." Haley smiled walking into his room, lightly knocking on the door as she walked in.

"Hey babe." He smiled. He had been lying on his bed tossing his basketball up and down. He got up and moved to kiss her.

"Hi Nate." She smiled leaning into him. "Ready to go?" She questioned as he nodded, tucking his basketball into his side with one arm, he wrapped the other around her.

"Yep."

"So how was basketball practice?" Haley asked with a content sigh as they walked.

"Really good, what about cheerleading?" He said dribbling with one hand as they walked.

"Hard, Brooke is all high-strung because she wants to win best squad at the face off this weekend." All those at high flyers were split up into separate divisions and at the end of the summer there would be a big face off to see which basketball team and cheer squad were the best.

"Well now everything is good." Nathan smiled kissing the crown of her head and she smiled up at him.

* * *

_Haley James stretched out in her bed at camp that morning. She had yet to open her eyes and except that she had to get up for the day. That was when she felt a large weight jump onto her, her eyes shot open to see a dark haired, blue eyed, man sitting on her._

"_You're not Brooke." He said quickly._

"_No I'm not. I'm her roommate." Haley said before shutting her eyes and opening them once more in confusion._

"_Oh."_

"_Wow, Hales I didn't picture you as the type for morning sex with a stranger." Brooke said walking in, two coffees in hand. _

_The man then turned around to show Brooke his face. _

"_Nathan!?" She questioned placing the coffees down as Nathan moved off of Haley to hug her._

"_Brookie" He smirked._

_Brooke pulled away. "What was that?"_

"_I thought she was you. Sorry about that." He said turning to apologize to Haley as she sat up and ran a hand through her long blonde hair with a shrug._

"_I'm not blonde, Nate." Brooke laughed._

"_I didn't look that close okay. You told me last week that you had a single room so I thought it was you."_

"_I was supposed to, but they screwed it up, so I have Haley which is actually great."_

"_How do you two know each other anyway?" Haley asked groggily as Brooke handed her the coffee she brought for her and Haley smiled. Haley knew the one boy accepted from Brooke's high school wasn't named Nathan. _

"_We met at the junior camp last year." Brooke explained. "Now it was great to see you Nate, but we have to get to practice. So want to meet for dinner?"_

"_Sure." He smiled as Haley groaned extremely loud at the thought of practice._

"_Yeah, she's not a morning person." Brooke laughed before reaching into Haley's draw and throwing her practice clothes at the blonde. "Go get dressed."_

"_Fine mom." Haley laughed leaving the room. "Nice to meet you Nathan."_

"_You too Haley." _

* * *

_Nathan jogged quickly down the corridor. He was late and Brooke would have his head. She was a complete control freak, and he loved her for it, unless she was yelling at him. Then that was a different story. He quickly turned the corner before knocking into someone. The both landed flat on their asses. _

"_I'm so sorry." Nathan said looking up before bursting into laughter, seeing who he ran into. Haley joined him._

"_Must we keep meeting like this." She smiled. "I mean if you want to talk to me, you don't have to jump on me or knock me over to do so." Nathan stood up, extending a hand, which she took, to help her up. "Thanks."_

"_Hey they were both accidents. Beside you know what they say about fate." He smirked._

"_What do they say?" She questioned._

_He deadpanned. He didn't have a witty response. "Okay, I don't know what they say and I would come up with some pick up line but I'm late and Brooke will kill me if I'm any later."_

_Haley laughed as Nathan walked down the hall backwards as he spoke. "Believe me, I understand. But Nathan..."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Next time you want to talk to me, could you try not to injure me?" She joked with a chuckle before walking away._

* * *

_Haley lazily walked along the balance beam in the gym. She had come to workout but had gotten lazy. For some reason they had moved the beam from the padded floor room, used for flips and stunt practice, to the room with all the ellipticals and treadmills. Turning around she walked down it once more before she lost her footing and began to fall off. She closed her eyes in shock, it was only a three foot drop but before she shut her eyes she saw her feet swing up, knowing that wouldn't end well. She could already picture herself breaking her ass on the floor. This was why they were kept in the padded room, she thought. But just as she thought she would hit the ground she felt someone grab her. Opening her eyes she saw the one and only Nathan holding her in his arms bridal style. "So much for me always injuring you." He smirked as she let out a sigh of relief._

_He helped her down as she smiled. "Thanks Nathan."_

"_No problem, a broken ass wouldn't help you cheer." Haley laughed loudly. "Its funny, the rain kept me from running outside so I came in to use a treadmill and save your ass. So seeing as I helped save you, and you know fate brought me here, would you go out on a date with me?" He smirked, looking her in the eyes, knowing she couldn't resist as her cheeks redden and she nodded._

* * *

Haley smiled sitting on the quad of the campus where camp was held. She was enjoying the summer sun as she sat outside reading.

"Haley!" She heard someone shout, looking up she saw her best friend Lucas standing twenty feet from her.

"Luke!" She shouted running and jumping into his arms. He had come to see her perform the in two days.

"What is this?" She then heard from behind her. Getting out of Lucas' arms she turned to see her boyfriend "You're friends with him?" Him as in Nathan's half-brother, whom he loathed. Lucas had known that Nathan and Haley were dating but Haley didn't know how to tell Nathan they were friends.

"Nathan let me explain." Haley said quickly knowing she was in a bad place.

"Explain what? As I told you about my jackass of a half-brother and father you just casually hid the fact that you were friends."

"I didn't know how to tell you." She said as her voice broke. "I love you please let me explain."

"When you love someone you don't keep secrets from them." He said as Haley's heart sank seeing the look on his face of pure disgust and betrayal. "You lied to me."

Haley went to speak once more but he walked away before she could.

Tears ran down her cheeks as Lucas pulled her into an embrace. "It's going to be okay Hales." He said, not sure what else to say.

"No it won't. I screw up Lucas. I hurt him so bad, it won't be okay."

* * *

Haley walked into practice the next day and up to her squad as they began to practice mounts. She wasn't into it, how could she be? Nathan was avoiding her like the plague and wouldn't let her explain. She shouldn't have lied, but she did have a reason and even if he would never forgive her, she wanted him to know why she did it.

"Five, six, seven, eight." Brooke said as they lifted Haley in the air.

Haley couldn't focus, the only thing on her mind was Nathan. She hurt him so bad and needed to find some way to fix it. She heard Brooke call something out to her but blocked it out. Next thing she knew she lost her footing, locked up her knees, and was falling to the ground, quickly. Except this time she knew Nathan wouldn't be there to catch her.

* * *

Lucas laid in Haley's hospital bed as she curled into his side, sleeping with her head on his chest as he slowly ran his hand along her arm. He hated to see his best friend this way, and knowing he was part of the problem made him feel ever worse. He heard her door open and shut before seeing the dark haired, blue haired, tall figure walk in and stand quietly, looking at Lucas and Haley together.

"Haley." Lucas said quietly gently shaking her. "Hales." He repeated, lightly hitting her good arm. "My god you sleep like a dead woman." He groaned as she still didn't wake and Nathan laughed. Knowing when she was this way Lucas knew their was only one way to wake her, he moved his hands to her stomach and began to tickle her as she startled awake.

"Lucas what the hell, stop." She managed to get out as she laughed.

"Someone is here to see you." He said as she looked up at Nathan.

"Hi" She whispered quietly as Nathan repeated the same.

Lucas began to move out from under her and off the bed. "I'll be in the hall Haley Bob, don't do anything stupid or hurt yourself more while I'm gone please."

"What? I'm not going to." She questioned.

"Yes you are, you are the klutziest person I know."

"You are." Nathan said in agreement. That was probably the first thing the Scott brothers ever agreed on.

"I am not!" She protested again, louder this time.

"Haley, you almost drowned in the ball pit at Chuck E Cheese when we were ten." Lucas deadpanned as she groaned.

"Okay, so maybe that one time but I've only broken one other bone and that was your fault."

"We both broke a bone that day and it was your fault."

"Luke." She said looking at him as if he was an idiot. "How was that my fault? You were chasing me down the stairs and fell on me. We both broke a bone and your mom was pissed."

"You stole the remote!" He said quickly defending himself. "Whatever, when I come back I'm signing your cast."

"Are you going to draw a penis on it like you did to Jake that one time and then he walked around with a penis on his cast for six weeks." She said pull ing her casted arm away from him.

"No I won't draw a penis on your cast." He chuckled before kissing the top of her head. "Love you Bob."

"Love you too, Eugene."

"Eugene?" Nathan questioned.

"Don't ask." Lucas said walking out the door throwing a glare at Haley on his way.

"So uh...how are you?" Nathan said quietly, running his sweaty palms against his jeans.

"Okay I guess, I broke my arm, have concussion, and bruised a couple of ribs." She said trying to sit up a little more as she grimaced. Nathan quickly moved to her side, grabbed her lightly and helped her slid to sit up.

"How?"

"We were doing mounts and I was in a regular lift but then went to move me into a straddle and I guess I was uh..preoccupied, and unfocused so my knees locked up and I fell."

"All the way from the top of the mount?" He asked as his eyes grew wide, knowing how high up she usually was as she nodded. "You scared me." He admitted.

"I scared myself. I was so stupid. The most important thing is to pay attention and not lock up your knees, but I was just...so upset about everything I wasn't focused."

"So uh...do you want to talk?"

Haley bit her lip and nodded, quietly looking down as she fiddled with her hands. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know." He whispered. He knew that Haley could never have that intention, she wasn't that type of person. He didn't want to speak to her because he was mad and confused but knew deep down that he would end up forgiving her. He spent the past day and a half alone because he wasn't ready for that, but when he heard she was hurt he needed to be by her side.

"I just...I didn't realize until I thought it was too late to tell you. There are a lot of people with the last name Scott and I never made the connection until you brought up about your half-brother. I didn't even learn your last name until our second date. By that point I thought I was too far in to tell you he was my best friend so I just didn't. Lucas always just referred to you as asshole so your name never really rang a bell. I was hoping to prove to you somehow that he wasn't who you thought he was. I never meant to lie to you."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" He questioned.

"I don't know, I should have but when you first mentioned it and I realized you were the Nathan Scott, son of Karen and Dan, I was so nervous about how each of you would react. What you would think of Lucas being my best friend and what Lucas would think of you being my boyfriend that I didn't say anything. I called Lucas to tell him, and he understood but seeing as you were the one Dan left, I didn't think you would be as willing to talk about it. I thought was too late and I should have said it when I realized but I just didn't know how. I didn't want to screw this...us, up. Because it meant too much for me to lose you." She said holding back tears, but her actions had caused him to lose him in the worst way possible.

"You didn't lose me." Nathan said quietly as her head shot up.

"What do you mean Nathan? I lied to you and you left. I lost the person I cared the most about."

"No you didn't." He said taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "You didn't lose me because I'm still here."

"You can't forgive me for lying to you, it's too much, too big."

"But I do. I love you and I forgive you, Hales." Nathan said as she tilted her head, looking at him.

"Really?" She questioned, more tears rolling down her cheeks now as she tilted her head.

Not answering her, he simply leaned in to kiss her. Pulling away he said "Now move over, you're hogging the bed and I want to be able to hold my girl when she's hurt."

Haley laughed as she slid to one side of the bed and Nathan laid next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Thank you." She said quietly as he knew what she meant.

"You're my always. And my forever." He punctuated with a kiss to the top of her head.

"Now I know I shouldn't bring it up right away...but Lucas is my best friend. I've known him since I was in diapers because Deb and my mom grew up together."

"Okay." Nathan said biting his lip a trait he picked up from Haley.

"He's really not a bad guy Nate, he puts up a front but once you break that down he's kind, and smart, and funny. I think you two would get along great."

"Okay, now that might be rushing things." He chuckled, running his hand lightly along her arm as he took in her scent It was good to have her in his arms again.

"He doesn't hate you, just so you know. Dan is actually a huge dick to him and he is jealous that you have Keith as a fatherly figure and he ended up with Dan." Haley explained quietly.

"I will be civil with him because he is your friend, and I will keep my sarcastic comments to a minimum...and then we will see where it goes." He said, compromising, when honestly he would do anything for her.

"That is all I'm asking." She smiled up at him. "But wouldn't it be nice if you came home after summer break with a new girlfriend and a new relationship with your brother."

Nathan smiled down at her, with a slight chuckle. She was always trying to help and fix him, something he loved her for. "I mean...maybe."

The room was quiet for a moment as they each gave the other time to think. Nathan always hated the idea of Lucas...but never actually knew him, so for Haley he would give it a try. Haley didn't want to push Nathan but knew deep down him and Lucas could both benefit from having a relationship with one another.

"You weren't there to save me." Haley said quietly, slightly as a joke, but partly serious.

"I know, but I'm never going to leave your side again. You klutz." He punctuated with a kiss to her lips.

"I'm really not that bad!" She protested.

"Yes you are." Nathan said as the same time as Lucas, who was just walking in. Haley rolled her eyes as Nathan looked up to make eye contact with Lucas. They shared as small smile as Lucas sat next to Haley on the other side.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay so originally this was supposed to be a one shot but then I had this idea to do one more chapter. I'm pretty sure that this will be it though, so I hope you all enjoy this short addition.

* * *

Nathan Scott smiled walking up the stairs to his girlfriend's room. He saw her laying, asleep, on her bed and slowly moved to lay next to her. "Wake up." He whispered in her ear before pecking her lips. Her eyes drifted open and she smiled at him, before a look of panic graced her face. "Am I late?"

"No, I'm just early." He said as she sighed of relief. "I figured I would come over to help ease your nerves."

"You know me so well." Haley said wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for another kiss.

"I do." He smirked sitting up. "Now you go get ready and I will see what your mom is making for breakfast. We don't want to be late for our first day and miss our grand entrance."

"Nathan. What grand entrance?"

"Haley James. The girl that tamed and tied down Nathan Scott into a serious relationship and turned the Scott boys into the Scott brothers. The grand entrance of Nathan and Haley, the hottest couple in Tree Hill."

"Nathan." She smirked, lightly hitting him. She remembered the day she found out her parents were moving to Tree Hill. It was the day after she returned from camp, heartbroken that she had to leave Nathan. She couldn't have dialed the phone any quicker to tell him. That was three weeks ago, yet you wouldn't know by the sight of Haley's room. In the two short weeks that she had lived in Tree Hill their was not one box left to be unpacked. Aside from being able to live in the same town as Nathan, Lucas, and Brooke, their was an additional bonus. Brooke was her neighbor.

* * *

"_Damn Hales. You have too much stuff." Nathan grunted placing another set of boxes in her new room. She was seated on the floor refolding her clothes and placing them in her dresser as he did all the heavy lifting. _

"_And all that stuff is in Tree Hill. Doesn't that just make all the effort worth it." She smiled. She was incredibly giddy to think about living within walking distance of the love of her life. _

"_Of course." He smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead before taking off his sweat covered shirt. "But that doesn't change the fact that it is a hundred degrees outside and my girlfriend is a hoarder." He shouted walking out the door once more._

_Peeking out her window she saw a small blue beetle pull up outside the house next door and she ran out of her house._

"_Brookie!" She shouted when she stepped on the neighbor's lawn._

"_Hales? What are you doing here?" Brooke questioned enveloping her best friend in a hug. _

"_I uh...I kinda moved to Tree Hill."_

'_What!?" The brunette shouted in excitement. Haley had only told Lucas and Nathan of the move, wanting to surprise Brooke. "since when?"_

"_Today."_

_"Wait a minute are you..."_

_"Your new neighbor, yeah I am." Haley smiled before Brooke screamed as loud as she could._

_Nathan stepped out of the moving van once more and walked over to where the pair stood. "Jeez Brooke, keep it down or else the neighbors will think someone died or something."_

_"Look Jimmy, aren't we so lucky Haley knows such strong men, we didn't even have to hire movers!" Lydia said excitedly as they walked over to join the kids. Lucas walked out of the moving truck, placed down the box in his hands and sighed, "Yeah so lucky." Before Brooke squeezed Haley into a hug._

* * *

Haley sighed nervously as Nathan put the car in park in front of Tree Hill High and jogged around to open her car door. Taking his hand, she held it tightly while they walked towards the school. Being a new student was hard enough without the fact that everyone in the building would be very confused. Who was the new girl with Nathan Scott? Why were Nathan and Lucas now talking? How long would Nathan and Haley's relationship actually last? Like Nathan Scott would have a girlfriend. As if Lucas Scott wasn't a jack ass anymore. Everything changed this summer and she was at the center of it all.

"You're going to be fine." He whispered to her.

"How did you know?" She questioned looking up at him.

"I know you Haley James. But more importantly. We're going to be fine." He punctuated that statement with a kiss to her hand before opening the door for her and walking them into the school.

All eyes were on them just as Haley had suspected. She could hear them whispering, and some not even bothering to whisper, but as Nathan told her to earlier she kept her head held high. This is your locker right? 1271." He questioned stopping in front of it.

"Yeah." She smiled up at him. He had paid attention enough to even remember it himself. That meant a lot to her.

"Hey Hales." Lucas smiled, Brooke at his side, giving her a side hug.

"Hey" She hugged back, before enveloping Brooke in a hug as well.

"I'm so excited you're here. We are all already the talk of the school between who is the new girl, are you two dating, what's up with me and Luke, and I can only imagine what will happen when people see you two together." Brooke said with a nod to Lucas and Nathan.

Yeah, the whole 'Brucas' things was new to Haley as well. Apparently they hit it off while Haley was laying in her hospital bed.

"Let's just get to class." Nathan said knowing that this conversation made Haley uncomfortable.

"I agree with Nate." Lucas nodded as they all started walking. Ever since Lucas' visit to camp the two had been getting along. They were able to patch up old wounds and become friends. Just like Haley suspected.

* * *

Haley sat in her economics class surrounded by girls she didn't know. This and her next class, global history, were the only two she had without Nathan, and the girls around her certainly knew he wasn't there. He had been great with her all day, telling people to back off when they got too close or asked too many questions, and keeping them in their own little world at times, but now she was wondering if that was so she didn't find out all she was hearing now.

"Remember that time he led See Garber upstairs only to get her in the sack and ditch." A blonde said with a laugh. "That bitch deserved it though."

"Didn't he sleep with practically all of the cheerleaders?" The redhead smirked.

"All with the exception of Brooke, Bevin, and Rachel I think."

Haley kept tears at bay. That was not the Nathan Scott she knew but seeing as though almost every girl around her said the same thing she couldn't help but believe it. Even Lucas Scott, legendary asshole, warned her to be careful with him. Now she knew why. When she walked into her global studies she took the corner desk and just watched as a new set of girls commented on their relationship.

"Nathan has never settled down so why would he now?"

"What makes her so special?"

"I have no clue, I mean have you _seen_ her?"

"I give it a month."

"Then maybe I can get him back into my bed."

She couldn't wait for this class to end, but that just meant lunch with him, something she couldn't bear to think about.

* * *

Wandering out into the courtyard Haley spotted everyone sitting around a table in the center, just like they had told her. Taking the empty seat between Lucas and Nathan, she placed her bookbag down and pulled out her lunch.

"Hey baby" Nathan said leaning down to kiss her but she didn't turn her head. He kissed her cheek noticing the glossiness of her eyes. "How was class?"

"Fine." She said biting her lip.

Sign number three and four that something was up, she was biting her lip and didn't want to talk about school. "What's wrong?" He asked a little quieter.

"Drop it."

"Hales."

"Not here." She said quietly with a stern tone, not wanting anyone else to hear.

"How was global Haley?" Brooke questioned taking a fry off of Tim's plate from next to her. She was seated between Tim and Lucas, Peyton, Mouth, and Skills were all between Tim and Nathan. She had met them all this morning and liked them a lot.

"It was okay. It's going to be a lot of work, I can already tell." She really didn't feel like the conversation being focused on her today. "Mouth, where did you get the nickname from?"

"Well one time uh..." He cleared his throat nervously. "Luke came to the rivercourt, told me a big mouth, then punched me in it."

"And ever since then it stuck." Skills laughed. "It's fitting."

"Oh, I forgot about that." Lucas said slowly. "Sorry man." Mouth simply shrugged, he had gotten over it years ago.

"Yo, remember that time Luke when you dragged me to the middle of no where, handcuffed, dropped me in the mud, then left me." Tim said strangely excited about it. "Then I called Nate and He was too busy with some girl to pick me up."

"That's just great." Haley huffed. "One Scott brother is a total man whore, and the other a jack ass. I'm so glad I moved here for this." She began to stand up before Nathan tried to stop her.

"Hales it isn't like that."

"Oh it is, I've heard plenty of stories today." She moved his hand off of her arm before gathering her stuff.

"Haley wait!" Nathan protested as she stood up.

"No Nathan, you've done enough. Or should I say you've done enough girls." She said before quickly walking off.

* * *

Nathan felt like he had walked three laps around the entire school but he still hadn't found Haley. He should have warned her about the other girls, he should have told her, but instead he screwed everything up. Just like he always did. Then he saw her, sitting in the corner of the tutoring center looking out the window. This was his chance to somehow make it up to the girl he loved.

"I think I need to be tutored." Nathan said quietly from the doorway.

"In what?" She questioned wiping the tears away from her eyes.

"I think I'm failing in how to be a good boyfriend." He moved to sit across from her at the table, and reached to hold his hand over hers. "I'm sorry."

"For what, for sleeping with every girl in the school, or for not telling me and setting me up to find out while all the girls chatted about it."

"All of it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you when you deserved to know, I'm sorry for being that guy. I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that because you have only been great with me. I'm sorry that I was a man whore before but I'm not that person anymore because of you. You made me want to be a different guy, you changed me into a man. A man that is completely in love with you and I can't imagine ever going back so please forgive me."

Haley smiled over at him with a small nod. He leaned across the kitchen and kissed her. "But you mister are on probation." She joked.

"I'll take it." He smiled standing up and pulling her in for a hug. "Which leads me to a question, homecoming is coming up in two weeks and I was wondering if the brilliant Haley James would go with me?"

"I'll have to think about it." She smirked leaning up to kiss him. "I love you." She whispered against his lips.

"I love you more." He said as they began to walk back out to the lunch table.

"Not possible."


End file.
